Tremosine cheese: sweet meeting of the Alps and Lake Garda

The Formagella di Tremosine is a traditional cheese from Lombardia that is produced entirely in the heart of the Parco Alto Garda Bresciano, part of the mountain community of Brescia and upper Garda, in the Tremosine plateau. On the surface of this cheese, there is also a distinctive visual characteristic that identifies it as a typical product: we are talking about the cross of Tremosine, engraved on one of its sides, a symbol present on the coat of arms of the municipality, nestled among the mountains that define the entire territory.

Tremosine is a town where a truly unique atmosphere reigns, where the Alps meet the blue of Lake Garda, creating a very special blend of alpine and Mediterranean atmospheres. A place where the charm of unspoiled nature satisfies the spirit, and life flows simply and peacefully, following the rhythm of the seasons as was the case not so long ago.

This territory has a long history behind it that intertwines with gastronomic traditions that are truly unique, handed down from generation to generation for centuries. And it is right here, in the splendid setting of the Parco dell'Alto Garda Bresciano, in the Tremosine plateau, that local milk production, thanks to its characteristics and distinctive taste and olfactory notes, has allowed for the creation of truly exceptional dairy products.

Among these products, Formaggella di Tremosine is undoubtedly the best-known and most loved: produced in the mountain pastures at high altitudes, this cheese encapsulates all the flavors and aromas of the mountain, typical of the Tremosine plateau. In short, we are talking about a product of excellence that identifies an entire territory.

HOW FORMAGGELLA DI TREMOSINE IS PRODUCED

The Formaggella di Tremosine is produced using only fresh cow's milk of defined origin, collected in the heart of the Parco Alto Garda Bresciano among the members of the Caseificio Sociale Alpe del Garda, which also takes care of processing and aging. The fresh milk, after pasteurization, is first added with lactic ferments and then, at a temperature of 36°C, with calf rennet.

The curd is then broken to reach dimensions of approximately a corn kernel. The curd is then heated to a temperature of 40°C and kept in agitation; the mass obtained is finally extracted and placed in molds for salting. The cheese is then aged for a period of at least 40 days.

Known as Formaela in Brescian dialect, Formaggella di Tremosine is listed among the Traditional Agro-food Products (PAT), compiled by the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies in collaboration with the Regions. Its inclusion in this list indeed makes Formaggella di Tremosine one of the most recognized and appreciated cheeses in the dairy tradition of the Alto Garda mountains.

The commercial importance and territorial identity, but above all the genuineness of the dairy products from the area, have favored the establishment of a special Consortium for protection whose main purpose is the safeguarding and promotion of all typical cheeses.

For cheese enthusiasts and lovers of bold and surprising flavors, the Caseificio Sociale Alpe del Garda also produces two other special variants of Formaggella di Tremosine, the smoked and in oil versions, which, due to a special processing, develop truly unique taste and aroma.

CHARACTERISTICS OF FORMAGGELLA DI TREMOSINE

Formaggella di Tremosine is a semi-fat cheese, with a semi-hard paste and of short to medium aging, since it must be aged for at least 40 days. Its crust is thin, soft, straw-colored, while its paste is soft, elastic, ivory-colored tending towards straw yellow and has a small and irregular eye spacing.

Its flavor is fragrant and its aroma delicately recalls the mountain meadows from which the milk used for its production comes. The aging is done in places with selected molds to obtain a truly unique product, good, genuine, and with maximum digestibility. Formaggella di Tremosine is finally presented in a cylindrical shape with a diameter of about 17 cm and a height of about 6 cm, weighing around 1.4 kg.

Formaggella di Tremosine in the Kitchen

The Formaggella di Tremosine is an excellent table cheese that is often enjoyed raw to appreciate all the typical flavors and aromas of the mountain. However, Formaggella is also a valuable ingredient for making the tasty filling of Tortelli di Tremosine, a typical first course of the area, characterized by being filled with the cheeses produced in the area of the Parco dell'Alto Garda Bresciano. Being a semi-hard paste cheese, Formaggella di Tremosine is also perfect for mantecare creamy risottos.

Ilaria Chesini